222 Rem (triple deuce)... why is this cartridge slipping into obscurity?? Or, is it?

The Kurgan

The Kurgan

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
110   0   0
Location
Steel Town and The Peg
The more I read about this fine cartridge, the more I want one. Sure it's 200 fps slower than 223, but so what. I appears to be a winner in terms of accuracy and certainly adequate for most varmint applications within sane distances. What is your experience and do you own one?
 
I've owned one (T3 Hunter), and my father in law has a Krico 222 that was rebarreled recently with a 24" Hart 1:12 twist - both accurate of course. But what cartridge isn't accurate?

Ballisticly, the 222 is fine. 223 has been killing it for so long, and will continue to until the 222 slips into real obscurity. That could take 40 more years though. I got rid of my 221 Fireball and 222 years ago, in an effort to simplify my varmint rifle arsenal. Now I shoot a 16" 223 that is lucky to give speeds that my 22" barrel 221 Fireball did, but I like the practicality of the 223, especially in a 1:8 twist barrel that allows me to shoot anything out there.

1:14 twist 222 pretty narrow bullet selection. Good 300y varmint gun though, maybe a bit light for wolf
 
I shot plenty of grounhogs back in Ontario when I was a teenager with a .222.
A budy had two identical remy's in .222 and at the time I had no inbetween calibers. I just had .22's and 30 cals.
I thought they were amazing guns for what we used them for, no recoil, very acccurate and seemed to reach out well.
I ended up getting a smoking deal on a rem. 788 in 22-250 and haven't played with one since but wouldn't think twice
about putting one in the gun cabinet should I have a use for one.
 
Easy on the barrel,efficient ,accurate and deadly on game up to deer in the hands of a competent marksman with the correct bullets.One round per customer.In a custom rifle I would likely skip the 1-14 to something that would shoot a 50-60gr bullet.
 
The 222 is my personal favourite 22 centerfire. It may just be luck but of the handful I’ve had, all shot very well. Just my $0.02
 
In the past some European countries banned the use of "military" cartridges. Might be a vestige of that.

Read a Boddington article where he shot a mule deer in Mexico with a triple deuce for this reason.
 
I have owned several 222 Remingtons over the years, and still have one.
It is a Remington 700 "Classic", and it is very, very accurate. I actually
prefer it to the 223, but there is nothing wrong with either chambering.
A 52 grain HP at 3250 makes short work of any varmint up to coyotes.
Some 1-14" twist 222's do not like 55 grain pills, but mine shoots them just fine. EE
 
I've had at least one 222 in the cabinet for as long back as I can remember. Has to be my favourite factory chambering. The 223 I gather is a touch faster but I tend to think of it as a cartridge that the spray and pray crowd enjoys. I'm not interested in cheap surplus ammo (one common reason I hear for preference of 223) as I reload so can get the very best out of my gun. There currently is two in the safe. Re-barrel to a faster twist if yours doesn't have enough to spin the bullets you want to use.
 
in Australia we have Companys like HOWA to name just one where in the Gun stores there is always a Offer on a 308 or a 223 with a Scope and this and that for a budget price and it just seems every Joe Blow has one of those............ the .222 isn't as common for new rifles down here... but as someone said there is a lot of Sakos and Brnos in .222 getting around... down here .222 prices are slightly more than the .223 ................

il take a Duece anyday
 
In most Euro-Fascist countries, that allow mere mortals to have firearms, use 222 as an alternate to 223 by law. Apparently if serfs have non-military calibres they will not rise against their guvernmint........... Or maybe civilian calibres are incapable of killing humans....who knows, it made sense the ruling elite.

I had a Savage 340 in 222 which I used for years. I had hoped to get a 222 for my TC Encore and continue to use the round for years but that proved impossible so I switched to my other favorite 22; 22 Hornet, dumping all my 222 reloading and gunsmithing gear.
 
Last edited:
I bought a Sako Vixen 222 as a graduation present to myself in 1984, and I still own the rifle because it has always been one of my favorites. The 222 is a pleasure to reload for, almost everything shoots well with the proper bullet weights. As much as I love my triple deuce, I think it's fair to say it's lost the race to the 223.

BDl2kI5.jpg
[/IMG]
 
I wish you wouldn’t have started this thread. I love the 222. I had one in a Sako L461 heavy barrel. 21gr of IMR4198 and 40gr V-max would make ragged 10 shot groups at 100 yards and just under in inch at 200. I sold the gun but kept all the brass and dies

A side note - I was only able to get that accuracy when I switched to Lapua brass and Bonanza BR FL dies....
 
I have owned a few 222s over the last 30+ yrs. Some I have said I would never sell and yet they are not in the safe anymore as someone else wanted them more than me I guess. Currently I have a Sako A1 that gets used as a loaner when I take the odd newbie coyote hunter out. I have shot 100+ rounds of 223 this last winter for pest control and have not even once taken the 222 out of the safe. Might have something to do with the 223 being a inexpensive, very accurate Howa lightning and I want to minimise the wear on the Sako. I had a Sako 75 varmint laminate in 222 that I sold and replaced with a model 85 in 223 but that was only to upgrade to the set trigger and 8 twist barrel and had nothing to do with accuracy. The 222 was capable of clover leaf groups at 200yds but I wanted to start shooting at 500-1000yds and that was not practical with the 14 twist 222.
 
My .222 is a vintage Heavy Varmint benchrest rifle, Hart barrel and Hart heavy action. So vintage that it has a walnut stock.
Scary accurate. Came with a set of straight line loading tools used with an arbor press. Just loaded up some ammunition for it, looking toward the end of winter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom